Choice
by darkchakram
Summary: Xena/Ares one-shot. Xena makes a choice that Ares has to learn to live with. Set post-series with references to Looking Death in the Eye and Motherhood. Xena, Ares, Discord, and Strife.


Choice

This fiction was written in response to the Shipper Fic Challenge #4 at XOC (Xena Online Community). The prompts included: Someone has to accept a dare, A promise with sincerity must be made, Strife must make and appearance, and Xena must get cut with a dagger and Ares has to heal her.

Without further ado. . . . .

Discord sat in the Halls of War brooding. Ares had been accompanying his new toy, Xena, on her campaign across Thrace, all week long. His infatuation with his new warrior angered the diminutive goddess to no end. She lounged in Ares' throne, bored to tears, hoping he would just bed the mortal bitch, get over his little crush, and come home soon.

Discord started to open a portal to spy on Ares but Strife came bounding into the throne room with his trademark nervous excess energy. "Hey, where's the old Uncle?" He scanned the hall in search of his mentor.

"Where do you THINK he is," Discord belted in disgust.

"Ahh, he's still with the warrior hottie."

"Hottie?" Discord rolled her eyes.

"Umm, yeah, hottie! Hottie with a body to be more accurate. She's flaming."

"I suppose, if you're into tall, muscular, raven-haired banshees with piercing blue eyes."

"Duh, and Unc certainly is! Aww, poor, poor, pitiful Discord! What's the matter? Not Uncle's favorite plaything anymore? Strife mock frowned. "Not getting any?"

"I could get it, if I wanted it! All I'd have to do is call for him."

"Yeah." The god shook his head. "No! He's impressed with that vivacious vixen right now."

"Well, when he gets tired of banging her, we both know where she'll end up." Discord's blood read lips twisted in a satisfied smirk.

"I don't think he's "banging her" as you so eloquently put it. I think his interest is a little deeper than that. She's a brilliant strategist, a skilled tactician, and her bloodlust might be as unquenchable as his. I think you're wrong. I believe Xena's gonna be around for the long haul."

"Maybe as mortals are concerned, but she's gonna die someday."

"True." Strife chuckled. "You wanna place a bet on how long until she feels the cold hand of Celesta reaching for her?"

"I have a better idea. I'm bored of talking about her. She bores me. Why don't we play a game?"

"Sure, whaddya have in mind? Latrones? A game of cards? Dice? You show me yours, I'll show you mine?" Strife jutted his hips at Discord suggestively.

"Ugh, pig! No. How about truth or dare?"

"Sure, but what are the stakes?"

"Anyone refusing to complete a given dare must fling human excrement at Zeus."

"Are you insane? He'd throw us into Tartarus!"

"That's the point, you idiot!"

"Oh, yeah. Okay, I accept the terms."

"Good," Discord grinned mischievously.

"Who goes first?"

"I'll defer to you," Discord replied magnanimously out of character. Strife should have known right then that something was up.

"Alright, truth or dare?"

"Dare," she challenged with an arched eyebrow.

"Ooooh, nasty," he rubbed his hands together and licked his lips in anticipation. "We'll start off with an easy one! Take your clothes off."

Men, Discord thought, so pathetically foolish. He had the power to effectively compel her to do anything and all his testosterone enlaced head could come up with was for her to strip! With a snap of her fingers, she stood naked before him.

"There, like what you see?" She flirted.

Licking his lips again, he walked toward her.

"Not so fast, my turn!" She stopped him dead in his tracks with her wicked gleam. "Truth or dare?"

"Oh. . .yeah," it was then that Strife realized that he'd stepped into a deep pile of shit. He couldn't back down though, not after she had called dare on her first turn. If he picked truth, she would see him as a coward and she'd tell Ares what a wimp he was. "Dare," he nearly choked on the word as it fell off his tongue.

"Ohhhh gooody! I dare you to slice Xena open from here to here," She indicated with her painted black fingernail that he should slit Xena's throat.

"You want me to kill Ares' favorite warrior. Uh-uh, no doing. Do I look like an idiot?"

"Well?" She cocked her head and looked him up and down, a gesture that was meant to say that she did indeed think he was an idiot. "There's always the alternative of throwing poo on Gramps."

"Ha. . ha. . .ha. . " Strife felt a noose closing around his neck. Either way he was a dead man. He mentally weighed his options. Zeus on the one hand, Ares on the other. As he thought about it, he decided that Ares would get over it. She was a mortal after all, there were other warriors. Plus, if he was able to put a blade on her it would demonstrate to Ares that she wasn't as grand as he thought! Throwing crap on Zeus just wasn't an option. "Xena it is!" Strife called as he disappeared into thin air.

Discord sat back in Ares's throne, materialized a bowl of grapes, and opened a portal to watch the show.

She didn't have to wait long. Within seconds, Strife materialized in the middle of Xena's war tent. She and Ares were going over battle plans. Discord despised the way that Ares looked at the mortal whore. He was impressed with her and attracted to her at the same time. He wanted to possess her mind, body, and soul.

Xena and Ares looked up simultaneously at the intruder.

"Not now, Strife," Ares ordered his nephew away like he was a pesky fly.

"Hey Unc, Xena, how goes the campaign?" Ares' glower was causing him to lose his nerve.

"Strife, I am warning you!" Ares growled.

"Just thought you guys might need a little military insight." he walked closer to the table and looked over the maps, trying to work up the courage.

"I hardly need any military advice from the likes of you," Xena spat.

Ares bellowed laughter.

Well, she was making this much easier, Strife thought as he pulled a dagger from the sheath at his hip.

Xena couldn't believe this buffoon would dare to attack her. Still, he was a god and she knew that she would be wise not to underestimate any powers he might have that she didn't know about. Strife jutted the dagger toward her, Xena toppled the table over onto him.

"Strife, what in Zeus' name are you doing?" Ares yelled as he worked up a ball of energy to punish his nephew. No one was going to lay a hand on Xena. She was his future. The queen he'd been waiting for! His Warrior Princess. His Destroyer of Nations. They were going to take over Thrace, then Greece, then Persia, then Egypt, and ultimately Olympus! He'd never met a mortal or goddess that matched her military prowess. When she became his goddess, she would be unstoppable, they'd roll through the world and watch everyone tremble beneath them!

"I've got this," Xena smiled, she was looking forward to kicking the skinny god's ass thoroughly.

Ares released the charge in his hands and stood back, letting Xena handle things on her own.

Discord couldn't believe how much Strife was screwing things up! By the gods, she had to do everything for herself. Discord disappeared from the Halls of War and instantaneously reappeared in Xena's war tent with her dagger already drawn. She was shorter than Xena so reaching up for her neck proved more difficult that she'd anticipated. So she decided to use her size to her advantage.

Feeling the new presence behind her, Xena whipped around to face her attacker. She swung her fist at Discord but the goddess dropped to the ground and sliced Xena's left thigh with the dagger, severing the mortal warrior's femoral artery. Xena grabbed at her leg, trying to put as much pressure as she could on the squirting gash. Discord immediately disappeared from the scene. Strife vanished as well, He knew they were gonna get a scolding from Ares, he decided that he needed to find a good hiding place and fast!

At first, Ares hadn't realized the severity of the injury. "Those little shits, I'll. . ." Xena falling to the ground was his first clue that something had gone terribly wrong. "Xena?"

"Ares. . .Ares. . " Xena panted, trying to get out what she needed to say, "attack the Macedonians from Karamena Pass, they'll expect you to come in from the southern plain, don't do that. And, Ares, please, take my remains back to Amphipolis, to my family tomb."

"Remains? What are you talking about? Remains?"

"I have minutes at the most, she severed the main artery that. . . supplies. . ." she was feeling faint.

"You're not gonna die. No, you and I we are destined to rule the world!" Ares had never felt panic before. He'd seen it, many times on the battlefield. He even understood it cerebrally but he'd never felt it. He'd never wanted anything so bad that the loss of it could inspire that kind of response in him. "No, no, no," he screamed.

She fell limp in his arms, passed out from the loss of blood.

Ares quickly clamped his hand down over her leg and let his healing touch move below her skin repairing the artery, the sinew, and then healing the flesh. He then radiated some of his power through her entire being. Her color returned quickly and soon her perfect blue eyes were stabbing him with her steely gaze.

When Xena regained consciousness, she realized what Ares had done and she was beyond furious. She jerked out of his embrace and then pushed him to the ground.

"What's the matter with you?" Ares asked. He had expected just a little more gratitude.

"You healed me?" She asked scornfully.

"Yes," he answered honestly. He didn't understand the problem.

"Ares, I don't need or want you to heal me! I am a mortal! The fact that I might die in every battle is what pushes me to be the best that I can possible be. It drives me. There is no thrill of battle without the threat of death."

"This was different. These were gods playing wicked games. She's jealous of you. I'm not sure yet what part Strife played but I know her motives. She hardly fought fair. She waited til you were distracted and then attacked from the aether and from behind, no less."

"Yes, it was cowardly but still she got the drop on me."

"Because she cheated. That never would have happened with another mortal, Xena. Mortals can't manipulate the aether that way."

"Still, you have to promise me that you will never heal me again."

"Xena."

"No, Ares, promise. I have to trust that you will keep your word on this. If I'm injured in battle, I deserve to suffer the pain, it would mean that someone out fought me or out strategized me."

"Let me make you immortal and we won't have to worry about it."

"What? No! Again, I need my mortality to keep me sharp. This is my choice, Ares. Promise."

He didn't say anything after a few beats, she repeated, "Promise."

"I promise, I'll never heal you again."

"Good, now we have a few hours before we have to ready the men for battle," Xena eyed him seductively.

"Why Xena, are suggesting what I think you are suggesting?"

Xena unclasped her breastplate. "Shut up and fuck me!" She ordered.

AXAXAXAXAXAXAXA

Ten years later

Ares stood on the beach, his hands on Xena's waist. Gabrielle lay broken on the sand. The infant, Eve incinerated in the fiery wagon crash. He'd stopped Xena from goring herself with the blade, but now, now she held a vial of poison. Could he do this? Could he let her die? Could he let her be mortal? It was her choice, he'd promised! They'd sealed that promise with a night of unbridled pleasure. Could he betray that promise?

No! He watched as his favorite warrior and the woman he had grown to love, ended her life in his arms.

AXAXAXAXAXAXAXAX

Twenty-five years later

Ares lay in chains, helpless, while Xena fought valiantly against his ruthless sister. Athena was going to win. She was going to destroy the love of his life. It wasn't about war anymore. It was only about love. He loved her, couldn't get her out of his heart, his mind, his blood. He couldn't let this happen. He'd promised never to interfere. Well, he wasn't healing her, he reasoned. He was healing Gabrielle and Eve. He dragged his chain-laden body toward her family and laid hands on them given up everything he'd ever known for the one thing he couldn't live without.

When it was all said and done, he anticipated her wraith. He expected a tongue lashing. He'd interfered.

"Thank you," Xena cried.

Relieved that he'd made the right decision, he nodded his head.

Two years later

Ares walked into Xena's family tomb in Amphipolis. The god found the urn with her ashes sitting atop Lyceus' sarcophagus.

"This is where your choice led Xena. You made me promise to never heal you, and I kept to that. I watched you suffer and suffer while I stood by and did nothing because that is what you wanted. Athena was the one exception and I suppose you let that one slip because I didn't heal you. No, I healed your daughter and your friend. I love you Xena. This is killing me. I lived twenty-five agonizing years without you. And now. now, you expect me to go an eternity without you. Well, that's just not something I am prepared to do."

Ares stepped back away from the bier. "I, Ares, God of War, summon Xena: the Warrior Princess of Amphipolis back from the grave! As she lived and died a warrior, I claim a right on her body and soul. Rise Xena, and be!"

The top of Xena's urn rattled and then fell to the side. Her ashes rose into the air and formed into a cyclone, the ashes spun and spun slowly taking form. Within minutes, Xena was standing nude and disoriented in front of him.

She shook her head and then fixed her eyes on his. "Ares," she groaned.

"You made your choice and I made mine," he stated.

"You promised."

"I promised not to heal you! You never said anything resurrection." He beckoned her toward him.

Xena walked into his arms, allowing him to hold her, giving him the comfort of her warm body, knowing what he needed. "You're never gonna give up are you?"

"As I recall, my dear, you said you expected nothing less." He traced the back of his fingers along her soft check.

Xena reached up and kissed him, "you couldn't have brought me back with my clothes on?"

"Now, where's the fun in that?" He squeezed her rear.

"Ares, we are not having sex in my family tomb! Get your hands off my rump. Where's Gabrielle?"

"I went through all of this trouble and you are really going back to Blondie?"

"Ares!"

"Fine, fine, she visiting Potidea. You want me to take you there?"

"Nope, I'll find a horse or I'll walk it on my own two feet."

"Of course you will. Same old Xena!" Ares threw up his hands as she walked past him and out of the tomb.

Back in the land of the living, Ares leaned against the outside of the tomb and watched her walk away in nude, his immortal mortal.

Fin


End file.
